Improvement in feather-renovators



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JOHN T. HOPKINS VAND MERRITT H.

SMITH, or FORT MADISoN, IolwA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FEATHER-RENOVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,630,

dated February 20, 1877; application filed October 12, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

- this specification.

The nature of our invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a feather-4 renovator, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which our inventionappertains to make and use the same, we will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section oi' our feather-renovator.Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

The frame-work of our machine consists of two end pieces, A A, connectedat the top, front, and rear edges by means of cross-bars A1 A1. Fromthese cross-bars depend front and rear hinged doors A2 A2, and thetop ofthe frame is closed by a hinged lid, A3.

The pau in which the feathers are` placed is composed of a doublesemi-cylindrical shell, B, forming an interior steam-space, d, andattached to end pieces B B', which are connected, by strips O U, withhollow bearings D D, supported in corresponding openings made for thatpurpose in the end pieces A'A ofthe frame. This construction isolatesthe steampipe from the woodwork, and thus prevents the possibility oftire by overheating of the pipe.

In the center of the double or hollow pan B is made a longitudinalrecess, a, which is covered by a grating, b, as shown. Below thisgrating, in the recess d, is placed a perforated plpe, G, extending theentire length of the pan and closed at one end. `At the other end is anangular pipe, G2, passing out through one of the hollow bearings, andthe outer end of this pipeis to be connected with the Steamboiler by asuitable iiexible pipe. Through the same hollow bearing passes anotherpipe, G1, also to `be connected, by a iiexible pipe, with the boiler;and this pipe G1 enters the steam-space d of the pan, as seen in Fig. 2.In the pipes G1 and G2, outside of the bearing D, are to besuitablevstop-cocks, for shutting oi' and admitting steam, as required, eitherto the one or the other pipe. The pan. B, being hung upon the bearings DD,can beswung backward and forward with perfect ease. The feathersarefirst placed in the pan B, a-nd the steam admitted through the pipeG2 into the pipe G, from whenceit, passingout and through the grating b,will permeate the entire mass of feathers, so as to loosen the dirttherein, which dirt, with the condensed steam, passes down through thegrating into the recess or chamber a. The steam is then shut off fromthe pipe GJ and admitted into the pipe G1, to enter the chamberd to heatand dry the feathers.

When thoroughly dry the feathers are emptied by opening the doors A2 andtilting the pan either backward or forward, as desired. The feathers areadmitted from the top by opening the lid A3. f

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

ln a feather-renovator, the combination of a stationary frame, providedwith hinged side doors A2 AZ and hinged lid A3, the semicircular hollowpan B, suspended from the bearings Dby one or more straps, C, at eachend,and the pipes G1 G2, passing through the bearing at one end, andtheir lower ends entering into the chamber in the pan and into theperforated tube G, respectively, all substantially as and for thepurposes herein Set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we r have hereunto set ourhands this 16th day of September, i876.

'JOHN T. HOPKINS. i M. H. SMITH. Witnesses J. M. CASEY, JNO. D; HUFF.

